


Berries & Fish

by Lady_Felucia



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), kylux - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Armitage Hux Needs A Hug, Beginnings, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Denial of Feelings, Domestic Fluff, Escape, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual kylux, Falling In Love, Feelings, Feelings Realization, Fluff, Fluffy Ending, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Gay, General Hux - Freeform, Gentle Kissing, Homosexuality, I Ship It, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Implied Relationships, Injured Kylo, Kissing, Kylo Ren - Freeform, Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, Kylux - Freeform, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, Male Homosexuality, Post-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Short & Sweet, Short Story, Sleeping Together, Soft Kylux, Star Wars - Freeform, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015) - Freeform, Stranded, Survival, The First Order, The Force Awakens, Wilderness Survival
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-29
Updated: 2017-11-29
Packaged: 2019-02-08 10:42:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12862830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Felucia/pseuds/Lady_Felucia
Summary: After their narrow escape from Starkiller Base, General Hux and Lord Ren have crash-landed their getaway ship on an unfamiliar, isolated planet. With no food, no means of communication with their men, Lord Ren recovering from extensive injuries, and Hux out of his element, the two square off against the greatest challenge they've ever faced before: Survival.





	Berries & Fish

Kylo's eyes snapped open, and his mind was immediately overcome with panic.

He was on his back, and staring at a rough tarp pulled up in an arch. Turning his head, he saw a small fire crackling in the middle of the room. A figure sat just beyond the flames, watching him.

"Who's there?", he heard himself ask, shakily. He was aware that his body felt weighted down, and several areas of it were transmitting hollow cries of pain.

"It's just me," the voice replied.

"Who?", Kylo asked. He was beginning to feel alarmed; his mind was so muddled that he couldn't even place a name to this familiar voice.

"Hux. General Hux," the voice answered back, sounding mildly amused.

He came from beyond the fire and knelt down next to Kylo. His face was full of worry, and concern. In one hand he held out a canteen full of water, the other a folded piece of paper that appeared to contain some powdery substance.

"Here. Take this medicine, it'll help some with the pain."

Kylo lifted his head just enough to swallow the horribly nasty powder, with several sips of water. When he finished he laid back down and shivered all over.

"Where are we? What happened?"

Hux began to explain to him, slowly, the events of the last couple of hours. 

After Hux had found Kylo buried and half-dead on Starkiller, he had put him aboard the rescue shuttle and took off to regroup with the rest of the fleeing fleet. But before they had reached them, a lone rebel ship from the resistance had engaged the shuttle in battle. Not being equipped to do much other than run, Hux had ordered the rest of the fleet onward while he and Kylo outran the rebel pilot.

Eventually their luck ran out and they were shot down over an unknown planet. The rebel pilot, believing they were dead, left. The ship plummeted into a field and slowly degenerated into flames. The force of impact had knocked the already-injured Kylo unconscious once again.

Hux had somehow kept his head, and gotten them both out and a safe distance away from the ship. In his pack he had an emergency shelter kit, which he hurriedly set up. This planet, whatever it was, was blessedly free from snow, but it was freezing cold nonetheless.

Kylo listened to all this in silence. It was all starting to come back to him: the battle with the stormtrooper and the girl, his injuries, and, before all of this, how he had killed--

But no. That wasn't something he was ready to think about just yet. So he quickly pushed the thought from his mind and asked another question.

"What am I wearing?"

Instead of his robes, he had on a pair of pants that came to just above his ankles, and a long-sleeved shirt that didn't quite extend to the wrists. His shirt was partially unbuttoned, and Kylo could see a long, weaving bandaid wrapped around the gash in his side. 

Hux shrugged sheepishly.

"Sorry, I know my extra clothes don't fit you so well, but I had no other options. Your robes were covered in blood and torn to pieces.

"You--undressed me?", Kylo asked, feeling rather odd (and embarrassed) about that.

"Again, I didn't have a great deal of options in the matter, Ren." He said the words stiffly, but Ren could sense his own embarrassment just underneath the tone.

Kylo sat up quickly, ignoring the pain that the sudden movement created in his side.

"My lightsaber! What about my lightsaber?!"

Hux put his hand on his chest and pushed him firmly back down.

"Relax, it's here. I hope you don't mind, I had to use it to cut through the hull."

Kylo sat up again, slower this time.

"You used my lightsaber?"

"I wish you would just stay down, Ren. If those bandages break, I have nothing to replace them with."

Kylo gingerly patted his side, wincing at the sharp jolt that careened through his body. Not wanting to show weakness in front of Hux, he merely said,

"So you used my saber. Did you like it?"

"In all honesty, no. I was more scared using that thing than I was when the ship crashed."

Kylo frowned, and eased himself back down on the cot.

"Why?"

"Because the thing is exactly like you: dangerous, and unstable."

Kylo kept himself from leaping back up by reminding himself of his injury.

"It's not 'unstable', you idiot," he said through clenched teeth, "And neither am I."

"No? I thought the thing would explode in my hands at any second. And do you really think you're not unstable, Lord Ren? Explain to me why you look like you want to jump up and strangle me right now, then!"

"Well what do you expect? That I'd just sit back and let you speak ill of my baby?"

"Baby?", Hux asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, baby. And my baby is NOT unstable. It's the epitome of masterful skill and perfection. You'd know that if you weren't an uncultured imbecile, Hux."

Hux just barely kept himself from barking out a retort. Instead, he sighed and stoked up the fire.

"I don't have the energy to fight with you, Ren. And you don't look like you have the energy for anything, at all."

"Enough energy to kill you," Kylo muttered peevishly.

"Fine. But can you at least wait until after we're rescued? I don't particularly want to die in this dingy little shelter on--well, on WHEREVER we are."

Kylo sighed heavily.

"I don't suppose our accommodations have a refresher, do they?"

"I'm afraid not. You'll have to go outside."

He moved towards Kylo and took hold of one of his arms. Kylo yanked it back.

"You don't have to help me. I'm fine."

Slowly, slowly, he managed to get to his knees, then his feet. He swayed slightly, surprised by how dizzy and disoriented being vertical made him feel.

He staggered outside to relieve himself. When he came back, he all but crawled back to his cot. Hux watched him, but refrained from saying anything.

"Sun is setting," he told Hux, pulling the cover over himself. "And it's below freezing. Do we have enough kindling for that fire?"

Hux nodded. "I made sure of it; I chopped up several small trees. Thanks again to your saber."

"Exactly. So don't call her unstable any more."

"Her? It's a she?"

"Yes."

"Pray tell, does 'she' have a name?"

"She does, but you don't need to know it."

Hux just chuckled, and rooted around in his pack on the floor. He found two protein bars.

"Here," he said, handing one to Kylo. "It's not much, but it's something."

Kylo unwrapped his bar and began to eat quietly, his mind filled with an unpleasant assortment of questions. Where were they? How long until they were rescued? Did they have enough food to last them through? Were there others on this planet? 

Behind him, Hux took off his greatcoat and laid it neatly on the floor, making it into a little pallet for himself. Kylo actually felt guilty about that; this was intended to be a one person shelter, therefore there was only one cot, of which Kylo received due to his injuries. 

But wait, did that mean--

"You don't have another blanket?", Kylo asked, trying to sound indifferent.

"No. I'll be fine; the fires quite warm, isn't it?"

It WAS; but the cold air from outside still found its way in, gusting icy breezes into the little space.

"We, uh, we can share. The cover. If you want."

Hux looked at him quizzically.

"Really?"

The way he was staring at Kylo made him nervous, so he laid down and turned over into his good side, facing away from Hux.

"It's up to you," he said over his shoulder, casually. "Just seems like it'd be smarter, if you scooted over here and we shared what warmth there is."

Hux didn't reply, but Kylo could hear him doing as he had suggested. When he laid down, Kylo could clearly feel his hesitation as he grabbed a piece of the blanket and pulled it over himself. 

They were back to back, so close that they were almost touching.

There were a few minutes of awkward silence, and then Kylo could just barely feel a vibration in the air. Hux. He was shaking, and breathing quite hard.

Kylo felt a moment of alarm, thinking that the redhead was actually--crying? If he was, Kylo had no idea how to deal with that, or how to begin to be comforting.

Then he listened closer, and realized; the General wasn't crying, he was **laughing**!

Turning over gently to look at him, Kylo was amazed. He had rarely even seen Hux smile before, let alone laugh like somebody had just told him the galaxy's funniest joke.

"Have you lost it, Hux?", he asked him. He tried to sound stern, but a smile was fighting it's way to the surface of his face.

Hux just shook harder, his face turning as red as his hair. Kylo tried to resist, but several chuckles escaped his own lips.

When he had calmed down some, Hux said,

"It's just, it's just I was thinking, here I am in the middle of nowhere, sleeping on the ground, next to the person I hate the most," and with that he burst into another peal of laughter.

This time, Kylo started to laugh with him. The motion hurt his side tremendously, but once he got started, it was like he couldn't stop.

"The two most prominent commanders of the First Order, huddling in a tent like moofs. THIS is the image we should put on the recruitment brochures!"

They kept laughing until it had worn them out. Kylo was the first to stop, and he asked Hux a serious question.

"You--you really hate me?"

Hux stopped as well, and Kylo could feel him thinking about his answer.

"Maybe 'hate' is a strong word. Maybe 'intensely dislikes you sometimes' is more accurate."

Kylo nodded, accepting this. 

"Well, hate or intense dislike aside, thank you, Hux."

"For?"

"For saving me. Twice. I-- I owe you."

Hux had turned back over, but Kylo could feel the smile in his voice as he answered,

"You're right, you do. You can start by giving me a little more of the blanket."

Kylo chuckled and complied with Hux's request, and the two of them eventually drifted down into sleep.

\---

"Where were you?", he asked groggily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Hux had woken up a little bit ago, only to find Kylo Ren gone from beside him. He assumed that he was outside relieving himself, but when Hux's repeated calls yielded no response, he thought maybe he had wandered off.

"Scouting the perimeter. It seems like we're camped on the edge of some kind of field. There's a small hut about half a mile from here. I went in, but it looks like nobody's been there for a long time. Also, here," he said, pulling an item from his pocket and setting it on the floor. "I visited the ship, and got this from inside."

It was Hux's blaster. Hux sat up fully and picked it up, examining it carefully. It was scratched considerably, but appeared to still be in working condition. Hux was glad; having a weapon on him made him feel a bit less vulnerable.

"Thanks," he said, getting up and walking to the door of the tent. The sun was shining brightly on the field, and the temperature, while still quite cold, was no where near as bad as it had been last night.

"So, how do you think we should approach this? Should we try and find a place where we can transmit a signal for rescue? Should we use diplomatic persuasiveness, or force?"

Kylo looked at him in surprise.

"You're--asking ME--for my opinion?"

Hux smiled again, and Kylo was struck by how different he looked when he did so. Hux had a manner of bearing and a gravity to him that made him seem much older than his 31 years. But when he smiled like this, the illusion was broken. Right now, he looked very young, and very-- _human_.

"Yes, I'm asking your opinion. Don't get excited though; all final executive decisions still belong to me."

Kylo rolled his eyes at that and thought about Hux's question.

"I'm not sure that using force would be wise, considering our situation," he said slowly. "We're not sure whether the planet we're on is sympathetic to The First Order, or not. If no, we could run into very dangerous dilemmas. I think it best we disguise ourselves, and find our way to the nearest town. Send a transmission. Arrange to be picked up on the outskirts."

Hux looked at him.

"That could be a very long journey, to civilization. You're injured. Can you walk that far?"

Kylo nodded. "I'm still very sore, but better. No use just laying around helpless, is there?"

Hux pursed his lips. "No, but I do think an appropriate period of rest is wise, Ren. One night doesn't seem nearly sufficient. That hut you found--maybe it'd be a good idea to set up base there? Just until you're a little bit more healed?"

Kylo scowled. "I told you, I'm fine. I'm not an invalid, you know."

"I didn't say you were. But I need you at 100%, Ren. I mean, you already look exhausted from your walk earlier. Please just humor me on this."

Something about the way Hux said that, his voice devoid of its usual snarky cynicism and instead full of real concern, stopped Kylo's argument in its tracks. 

"Alright," he agreed quietly. "But I'm not too tired to make the move to the hut, like you said. It's not that far."

So the two began to swiftly disassemble the shelter and put everything away into their packs. Then they started the downhill trek towards the hut Kylo had found earlier.

When they got there, Hux looked around himself, pleasantly pleased.

It was a tiny dwelling, but it was partly furnished. There was a square table with two chairs in one room, with stone cupboards placed along the walls, and a window looking out on a yard. The other room contained a small sofa, two large windows set into the eastern wall, and a very large, open fireplace, which was likely both for heating, and for cooking. A small hallway led out from this room. Opening the first of two doors revealed a refresher, complete with shower. Hux cautiously touched the dials, and was relieved that the water actually worked. The other door revealed a tiny bedroom, empty except for a window, and one large mattress on raised wooden planks in the middle of the floor. 

The place wasn't exactly the fanciest in the world, but it was a significant improvement over the tent.

Hux could see why Kylo had surmised that nobody had been present for a long time; the earthen floor was cracked and tiny weeds grew up through the chinks in the dirt. The dust was thick, and covered every visible surface. 

And it was icy cold.

"Well, first things first, I have to get some wood in here to start a fire."

He held out his hand. "May I borrow your lightsaber?"

Kylo gave it to him, with an admonition to be careful. Then he set to work tidying up.

He found a bowl in what passed for a kitchen, and filled it with hot water from the refresher shower. He found a cloth in his pack and tore it in half. One half he used to remove surface dust, the other to wipe away the accumulated grit with hot water. He also found a broom in a closet, and used it to sweep and tidy the dirt from the floor.

Digging around in the closet once more, he was happy to discover that the previous tenant had left a few articles of clothing behind. There were a couple of large shirts and some trousers. Kylo held them  
up to himself. Whoever had owned these had clearly been on the portly side; but at least they would fit _around_ Kylo. It was better than continuing to wear Hux's spare clothes, which he still felt funny about.

By the time he finished, Hux had come back in with the firewood.

Hux didn't comment on Kylo's efforts, but Kylo could sense that he was actually quite pleased. Hux made a large fire on the hearth, and the warmth and brightness that it created livened up the place considerably.

"There's a stream running down the hill from here, east. I'm going to take one of the jugs from the back porch and fill it, so we have a fresh water supply."

"I can do that; you've done enough work getting firewood."

Hux shook his head. "No, I'm fine." He handed Kylo's saber back to him. "This thing makes it feel like no work at all."

Kylo grinned and clipped the saber back into his belt. 

"So, once again, I hope you were a gentleman and thanked her."

"Her," Hux answered with a scoff. "Might be easier to thank 'her' if I knew 'her' name."

"Oh, just go."

When he was gone, Kylo ventured outside. 

All around them was a small, dense patch of forest. A little path wound around the house and into the trees, which Kylo followed. He came across several bushes that were populated with bright gobbets of color.

Berries!

Getting closer, Kylo saw that these bushes were a treasure trove of different berries. Some of which he didn't recognize, so he left them alone, to be safe. But he plucked one of the julisse berries and tasted it. It was so sweet and juicy, Kylo couldn't help eating several more. He hurried back to the hut and got another bowl, which he carried back to the bushes. He filled it high with the berries that he recognized, and then brought the bowl back into the hut.

He was a lot slower, coming back. He didn't like to admit it but Hux was right, he was still very weak, and now he was starting to feel pain again. He groaned and bent over the table, trying to shake off the hurt.

He straightened up quickly when he heard Hux on the back porch with the water jug. Kylo being in pain was something Hux didn't need to worry about.

He forced a smile as Hux came in the door, and pointed to his bowl.

"Look what I found; food."

Hux came over and looked critically into the bowl.

"How do you know those are safe to eat?"

"I just do."

"That's -- not exactly reassuring, Ren."

Kylo sighed. 

"I used to go camping with my father and Chewbacca all the time. I learned the hard way, what you could and couldn't eat. Okay? Does that satisfy you?"

Kylo was a little surprised to discover that mentioning his father actually caused him worse pain than the wound in his side.

The wound from Chewbacca's bowcaster.

'Uncle' Chewie.

Hux, mercifully, took the hint and popped one of the berries into his mouth without any further questioning. He smiled as the sweetness poured over his tongue.

"You know," he said, taking a few more, "That stream down there seems like there'd be fish in it. Maybe if you're feeling a little better tomorrow, we can try to catch some?"

"Maker, Hux, how long do you plan to BE here, anyway?"

Hux got up and stretched.

"Always plan ahead, you know. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to take a much-needed shower. You said you found extra clothes somewhere?"

Kylo showed him the drawer where the extra shirts and trousers were, and watched with amusement as Hux held them up to his skinny body.

"This is going to swamp me," he said, sighing, "But I suppose it's better than these filthy things I have on."

As soon as the refresher door closed behind him, Kylo sat down and rested his head in his arms at the table. The pain seemed to be intensifying, blocking out all other thoughts.

He must have dozed off, because the next thing he knew Hux was shaking his shoulder. Kylo sat up and, before he could stop himself, he moaned with pain.

Hux, of course, seized on it immediately.

"Are you hurting again?"

Kylo shook his head stubbornly. "I'm fine." He attempted to stand, but had to sit back down again quickly. His side suddenly felt strangely warm-- and sticky.

He lifted his shirt touched his hand to the spot cautiously. He cursed as he saw the dark red that stained his fingers.

"It looks like your cut opened up again."

Hux went to the drawer with clothes and took out a shirt. Using his pocket blade he began tearing it up into thick, long strips.

"You go in there and take a shower," Hux told him as he cut, not looking up. "When you come out, put on one of the pairs of pants but leave the shirt off, so we can rebandage the wound."

Kylo nodded and did as he was told.

Whoever had been here before had been courteous enough to leave behind a small dish of soap, and a trace amount of shampoo. Despite the pain that the soap caused in his side, Kylo grit his teeth and washed out his cut thoroughly. The last thing he needed was an infection.

The hot water did wonders for the soreness of his muscles. He watched, part fascinated, part disgusted, as the blood from his wound mixed with the clean water and floated away down the drain.

This was the first time he had gotten a really good look at himself, since the fight on Starkiller.

One of the few things he was truly grateful for, was the fact that he had managed to close up the wound on his face.

Self-healing was a tricky and extremely time-sensitive business. In order to do it, Kylo had to focus everything he had on the wound, and do so within an hour after it had happened.

After the girl had fled, he focused all his attention on the gaping slash in his face, and was able to stop the bleeding and close the cut to a thin scar. But doing that had sapped him of what little strength he had had, before he had a chance to heal his other afflictions (or before he had fainted in agony).

He was amazed, at just how many new cuts and scars adorned his torso and his thighs. He felt anger, at how much damage that girl had caused him.

If he ever saw her again . . . 

But no, even as he thought that, he knew he didn't really mean it. Reading her mind on Starkiller base had revealed a soul very much like himself; scared, lost, and lonely. The fight with him, and the attack she had mounted, had only been initiated out of fear and a sense of self-preservation.

He also found himself, absurdly, hoping that Snoke would never manage to track her down. She was not meant for a life in The First Order.

He pushed his thoughts from his mind and finished his shower, drying himself with one of the spare towels and dressing in the flowy pants. He managed to pull them a bit tighter and tie them off at the side, but they were still terribly loose.

Still, it was better than nothing.

He came out and self consciously approached the table where Hux was sitting and waiting. Hux gently touched his skin and began winding the strip of cloth around the wound. Kylo tried his hardest not to flinch, but it was difficult. Out of the comforting numbness of the hot water, the ache had returned.

He felt quite awkward, with Hux touching him this way, so he began to make conversation.

"Whoever lived here before was kind to leave us so many useful things, but still, I wish the shampoo was different."

"Whys that?"

"It's just not the kind I use in my hair."

Hux glanced up at him. "Shampoo is shampoo. It achieves its objective, which is getting your hair clean. What more do you want?"

Kylo just shook his head. "Shampoo is NOT just shampoo. There are so many factors you have to take into consideration, like conditioning, hair texture . . ."

"I didn't realize you spent so much unnecessary time on hair care," Hux interrupted him. He wove the final strip into place and tied it off firmly, patting to make sure it stayed in place.

"There. Done."

Kylo pulled the large shirt over his head, then sat down at the table.

"It's not like I have a choice BUT to spend so much time on my head. Especially now."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on, Hux. You saw all the scars and cuts, didn't you? And THIS," he said, pointing to the scar on his face. "I'm hideous now. My hair is about the only thing I have left going for me."

Hux was very quiet, chewing on a few berries from the bowl. After a few moments he looked up, at Kylo, and said "No, you're not."

"I appreciate you trying to be nice, Hux, but . . ."

"You should know me well enough, by now, to know that I never say a damned thing that I don't actually mean. And I mean it, you are not 'hideous'. You're quite far from it. Okay?"

Kylo looked at him incredulously, and then he smiled.

"Good to know," he muttered, self-consciously rubbing the side of his neck.

The two of them continued to eat berries and drink water. This was a far cry from the catered meals of The First Order; but something about it was rustic and charming.

It was also different, VERY different, it just being the two of them, alone.

Although this was unknown to either of them, each one had always had a very small, very concealed attraction to the other. The First Order wasn't the type of environment that would foster those type of feelings, or permit that kind of romantic exploration, so Kylo and Hux kept these hidden desires to themselves.

Now, for the first time in a very long time, Kylo found himself thinking about those feelings.

Not that he felt it would make a difference.

After their meal, Kylo, feeling drained again, went and laid down in the tiny bedroom. He was asleep almost before he could close his eyes.

He did wake up once, in the middle of the night, with that scary feeling of disorientation. His eyes moved around fearfully in the dark--

\--and then he could just barely make out the shape of Hux, next to him, asleep. 

He was laying far enough so that they weren't touching, but close enough so that Kylo could feel his warmth.

Kylo closed his eyes and scooted just a tiny bit closer to him, before falling back to sleep.

\---

The next morning, Kylo, feeling a bit better, accompanied Hux on a wider search of their surroundings. 

They didn't find much, although they did find an entrance to a forest path that seemed like it could possibly lead to civilization. Yet both of them agreed to leave it alone until Kylo was well enough to make that trek. After about an hour of walking and scouting, he had begun to limp, and by the time they returned to "base" he was quite tired.

"Go and lay down for a while," Hux insisted as they walked back in the door.

"But I'm not tired," Kylo lied, again not wanting Hux to see his weakness.

Hux saw through his facade, though, and merely shook his head. 

"I didn't ask if you were tired. I said, go and lay down."

Kylo scowled. "You can't tell me what--"

"Then I'll ASK you, nicely. Please, go and lay down for a bit. An hour, that's all. Okay?"

Instead of arguing further, Kylo nodded and went into the little bedroom, laying down. He was out before he knew it.

When he woke up again, he was dully surprised to find that the sun was slanting through the western windows, indicating that much more than an hour had passed.

He forced himself up, and wandered into the other room. The fire was going, and Hux was sitting at the table, reading one of the books he had had in his pack. He looked up as Kylo walked out, smiling a little.

"You're up. You've been sleeping for hours. Are you feeling okay?"

It still felt strange, Hux showing concern for him. 

"I'm better. Hungry, though. Let's go to the pond and get some fish."

Hux frowned, shaking his head slightly.

"I don't know, Kylo; fishing can be physically exerting. I'm not sure that you're--"

"Trust me, I'll be fine. It'll be fine once I show you my trick."

"Trick?", Hux asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Stop with the questions and come on," Kylo said impatiently, heading for the door. "And grab one of the big bowls from the cabinet."

Hux sighed and did as he was told, following Kylo to the stream. The walk was brisk, and chilly; but being out in the fresh air did wonders for Kylo's mood. It was colder once they reached the rushing stream, and Hux pulled his coat tighter around himself, shivering slightly.

"Are you ready to see the most impressive thing you've ever seen in your life?", Kylo asked him, with a grin.

"Okay?"

Kylo closed his eyes and stretched out his hands towards the running water. Hux watched, amazed, as several large fish rose thrashing in mid-air out of the water, and into the bowl he held.

"I think four should be enough for now," Kylo said, smiling at Hux's disbelief.

Hux just stood there, gawking at the bowl, where one by one the fish stopped moving.

"Well, come on," Kylo said, amused. "Am I correct to assume that you've never cleaned a fish before?"

Hux nodded. "Never had any training in the matter, Lord Ren."

Kylo shook his head and grinned. "You have much to learn, young Padawan," he muttered, as the two made their way back to the house.

\---

"You know, for having no spices save salt, and for being made over a fire on a hearth, that may just be the tastiest meal I've ever had, Ren."

It was dark outside, and the two had just finished eating the food that Kylo had prepared. They had devoured the two fish apiece, along with more berries, and glasses of the cool, clear water.

"It's surprising, someone like you knowing how to cook.", Hux continued his point, beginning to clean off the table.

"Why is that?"

"It's just not something I could picture you doing."

Kylo hesitated, then said,

"When I was a kid, I used to go fishing with my--with my father, and the Wookiee, during our trips. But, um, Han would get drunk and burn the food, and Chewie just ate everything raw, so I kind of _had_ to learn how to cook."

Hux looked at him curiously. It was remarkably odd, trying to picture Kylo Ren as a child, living a normal life with his family.

"Can I ask you something?", Hux said, hesitantly.

"Yes."

"It seems, you did rather a lot of things with your father, growing up. Were the two of you very close?"

Kylo sighed and looked away, staring at the fire. Hux backtracked immediately.

"I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that. It's none of my busin--"

"No, it's fine," Kylo interrupted him, now turning his head to look at him. "Yes, we were close. Very close, until I was about 12 or so, when they finally sent me to--to Skywalker. Everything changed after that."

Hux sat quietly, thinking. He clearly wanted to ask Kylo more about that, but was holding himself back due to a sense of tact.

Instead, he said, softly, "Well, you're lucky you got some time being close with him. I never got that time with _my_ father. He wouldn't allow it; that sort of bonding would have been considered an overly sentimental weakness."

Kylo chuckled and shook his head. "I've always thought that you looked like someone who wasn't hugged enough as a child." He held out his arms playfully. "C'mere, Armitage, let the healing process begin."

Despite the seriousness of the past few moments, both men roared with laughter, Hux so hard that he had to lean against the wall for support.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're an insensitive jerk?", Hux asked him eventually, still chuckling to himself.

"Yes, yes," Kylo replied, wiping laughter-tears from his eyes. "But if I were anything different, I wouldn't be quite so likeable, would I?"

"I suppose. Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to make MYSELF more likeable and take a shower."

Kylo nodded and watched as Hux walked away through the refresher door. He felt -- funny. He felt as if something significant had just happened, although he wasn't sure _what_.

He shook the feeling off and headed into the small bedroom, laying himself down gingerly on the bed.

Gingerly.

The ginger.

He found himself wondering whether Hux would come right to bed after this, or whether he would sit up reading, like he sometimes did. It was odd, but he had grown accustomed to having Hux beside him as he slept. It gave him a wholly unfamiliar feeling of comfort, of contentment.

He wasn't sure, exactly, what that _meant_ , but found that he didn't desire to look into it much further.

He heard the water stop and turned over on his side, closing his eyes and pretending to sleep.

He could sense Hux standing behind him, in the doorway, looking at him.

And Hux, was smiling.

With his eyes closed, and facing the opposite direction, Kylo still KNEW that Hux was smiling.

Smiling down on him. On Kylo.

He laid down beside him, and gently pulled a piece of the blanket up onto Kylo's shoulder, covering him, before turning over on his side and going to sleep himself.

\---

"If you ever tell anybody about this, I'll strangle you. Understood?"

"Understood," Hux said, smirking. "Now teach."

Kylo timidly put one hand on Hux's waist, the other holding his hand. Speaking softly, he moved him around the room in circles.

It could have been awkward, but it wasn't. 

It _should_ have been awkward, but it wasn't.

Earlier, Hux had finally, inevitably come to the end of his book. He had huffed irritably and stomped around the little house, looking for something to do.

He had searched all of the drawers and cabinets in vain, hoping to find more reading material for himself.

While he didn't find a book, he did come across several spools of thread and a few sewing needles. Ren had become excited when he told him this; in his other life, his mother had taught him a variety of practical domestic skills. Sewing had been one of them.

He had immediately stripped out of the oversized pants, sitting on the cold floor in his shorts and a shirt, and began working on altering the pants to fit better.

Hux, utterly bored, had sat and watched, asking him questions about his surprising skills.

"Leia taught me all kinds of things like this. Sewing, carpentry, gardening. It was how children were educated on her home planet; a broad variety of subjects, usually taught by the mother," he told Hux, busily working the needle.

Hux nodded thoughtfully. "You're lucky, then. You had what seems like a well rounded education, learning things outside of books. My father sent me to the Academy from 5 years old. The only lesson he ever 'taught' me, was to always be suspicious of the intentions of those around me."

"That's not so bad a lesson, though," Kylo said quietly, his eyes still focused on his work. "If you're not careful, if you let people get too close, they'll hurt you."

Hux nodded. "Agreed."

They were both silent for a few more moments, and then Kylo lightened the mood by saying, slowly, 

"Of course, some of what Leia taught me, I've never found much use for. Like formal dancing."

Hux chuckled at that. "You can dance?"

Kylo nodded. He was about done with his alterations, and he held the pants out from him, admiring his handiwork.

"It WAS useful when I was a kid. Leia and Han always used to be invited to these big formal events. There was always dancing. They made me dance with their friends' daughters."

"Sounds charming. I never learned, myself."

Kylo stood up and put the pants back on. They were more adjusted to his body, and they fit worlds better than before. 

"So let me teach you," he said to Hux, holding out his hand.

Hux held back. "I don't know, Ren . . ."

"It's not like you're doing anything else."

So they danced.

Around and around the tiny room they went, Kylo explaining the movements to Hux. 

It should have felt uncomfortable, but it didn't.

By their fourth circle around the room, Hux was smiling. By the fifth, he was laughing.

At the end of everything, Kylo had Hux by the window. He glanced out, and noticed that it had begun to snow. 

They stood there, watching the white flakes whiz out of the sky . . .

. . . and they were still holding each other.

Hux was the first to notice this, and he gently but firmly pulled out of Kylo's arms, and walked to the door.

He slowly pulled on his coat and gloves.

"I'm going to gather up the firewood for the night. If it's snowing, it'll likely be a lot colder than normal."

Kylo nodded, and handed over his lightsaber to Hux.

"When you come back, I'll alter your pants for you, too, if you want."

"That's a good idea. I wouldn't want to show up in town like this."

"In -- in town?"

Hux nodded again, not looking Kylo in the eye. "I'd say that dancing is more than indication that you're ready to make the journey into town, wouldn't you?"

Kylo nodded reluctantly. "Yes, I suppose you're right."

Without another word, Hux walked out of the door and into the woods.

When he was gone, Kylo sat down in the chair and stared at the door, thinking.

It was the strangest thing Kylo had ever experienced, and he wasn't sure how to explain his feelings to himself.

But.

He didn't want this to end.

He didn't want to go to town, and he didn't want to be found, by the First Order, or anyone else.

He could honestly, legitimately envision himself staying in this hut for the rest of his life. 

With Hux.

Or really, truthfully, the hut didn't matter. All that mattered was that, no matter where he went, Hux would be with him.

And what's more, he felt that Hux had the same desire.

Now that he had allowed himself to think of it, now that he has let out his long-repressed longings, he found that they would not go away.

He had _feelings_ , for Hux.

But Hux was different from Kylo. He had more of a sense of loyalty, of duty, than he did. He felt it their ultimate responsibility to get rescued, and for the both of them to return to work. Personal desire had never before factored into Hux's thinking, and it was unlikely that those ideals would change now.

Or maybe they would.

After all, Hux had insisted all this time that they stay where they were, due to his insistence that Kylo needed to fully recover. But both of them knew that Kylo's health was merely an excuse to keep from moving forward, to their inevitable destination.

What he had said earlier, about if being dangerous to get too close to someone, was very true for the redhead. Kylo knew even without using his mind reading that Hux felt they were getting _too close_. And it scared him. The talking, the sleeping next to each other, the dancing, all of that had badly scared Hux.

And what could the future possibly hold for them, here? As far as Kylo could tell, from what little he saw, this planet seemed to support a mostly agrarian culture. Kylo had training and skill with a lot of things, and so did Hux, but farming wasn't something either of them were familiar with.

There was another option, but it was a very far-fetched one. Suppose, just suppose, Kylo could somehow manage to repair the shuttle? If he could repair it to the point of decent working order, and fly to another place, maybe one where they had more options for making a living?

Kylo wasn't sure what to do, and all of the thoughts running around in his brain was giving him a massive headache.

He glanced at his watch.

Hux would be back with the firewood soon. 

He needed to buy more time, to give Hux a reason not to try and make it to town just yet.

He quickly ran through the possibilities in his brain, and none of them seemed very plausible. Hux was smart; he wouldn't fall for it if Kylo were to fake a fever or any kind of severe pain. For a second, the idea of using his lightsaber and slicing into his side, re-opening the cut there, played around in his head.

But that wouldn't work, either. If anything it would expedite Hux going, alone, to the town in order to procure medical help for Kylo, where he would no doubt find his way to a transmitter.

There was only one other thing he could think to do, but the thought of it terrified him more than anything else. It was brash, and risky, and had the potential to be completely disastrous.

He didn't have much time to think about it, as he could hear the familiar footsteps crunching near outside.

Hux came through the door, his face pink with the cold and his arms loaded down with firewood.

"I'm back," he said, dropping the wood near the fireplace. He set Kylo's saber on the table and took off his coat. "Good news; when I was out in the woods, I found what looks like a shorter way into town. It cuts down the edge of a hill and through a little grove. In the morning, we can --"

Kylo moved quickly, grabbing Hux's forearms and holding him still. Before Hux could move, or even register surprise, Kylo inclined his neck and gave him a hard, awkward kiss.

When he finished, he pulled back and let go, not sure what to expect. Yelling, a punch, a kick, something.

Hux stood looking at him, seemingly frozen in shock.

And then, something miraculous happened.

Hux . . . smiled.

He smiled, and seeing it was like the seeing the sun rise on the first warm day after a long, brutal winter.

He smiled, and his arms were around Kylo's waist, pulling him in. But there was nothing awkward about the kiss he gave him. It was slow, and soft, and exquisitely _sweet_. So strong and vital and _sweeter_ than anything Kylo could have dreamt of. His fingertips whispered across Kylo's cheeks, gentle, achingly tender.

Soon, much too soon, Hux pulled away, and smiled that same magnificent smile.

Neither of them had the words for what they were thinking or feeling, but, for once, words weren't needed. The eyes of each one was enough for the other, soundless communication coming straight from the heart.

If anything at all was wrong in that endless moment of perfection, it was this: Kylo was a bit irritated, that Hux's kiss had been so much better than his own. So much more--skillful.

And Kylo didn't like to be out-mastered in anything.

So he pulled Hux close again, with a smirk, and began working to rectify this minor detail.

\---

"So what can we do?"

It was the exact same conversation that they had been having all week, but with two little changes.

The first: they were no longer trying to figure out to get back 'home', because the First Order no longer seemed like home to either.

The second: 

They were holding each other.

They had continued kissing and touching for quite a while after that initial kiss, exploring and tasting and experiencing each other's warmth. It has been somewhat clumsy, and slightly awkward . . . 

. . . yet the experience had been satisfying, nonetheless. There was an innocence to what they had done, a sweet, open vulnerability that neither had ever encountered before. It was bonding, and it was closeness.

"Have you always had this much hair?", Hux asked him, completely off-topic. He was running his fingers slowly back and forth through Kylo's dark tresses, seemingly fascinated by them.

"Yes."

"Has it always been so **soft**?"

"Yes," Kylo said again, rolling his eyes, but pleased. "Am I wrong, or did you tell me that I spent too much unnecessary time on hair care?"

His hand still in Kylo's hair, Hux leaned into him and kissed him, slowly.

"Forget what I said," he muttered, in-between kisses. "This is beautiful. Maker, YOU, are beautiful."

He put his hand on his chest and held him down, deepening his kiss, holding him tighter.

Eventually Kylo managed to push him off, blushing and smiling.

"You're being very flattering, Hux, but you didn't answer my question."

Hux sighed and buried his face against Kylo's neck, nuzzling into him. His breath was warm and sweet on Kylo's skin, soothing him against the chill of the room. The fire had died out hours ago, but neither wanted to leave the other's arms to go and re-stoke it.

"I don't know," he whispered. He sounded depressed by the admission, and somewhat ashamed. "For the first time in a long time, I have no idea what to do, Kylo."

"Neither do I."

He pulled the blankets further over them, tucking them in.

"Leia used to say that, sometimes, going to sleep can be the best thing you can do. Things will be clearer in the morning."

"Do you promise?"

Kylo sighed and closed his eyes. He drew Hux down on his chest, softly stroking his hair. 

"I promise that, no matter what, in the morning I'll be here next to you. Okay?"

Hux nodded, leaning up to kiss him one last time before nodding off to sleep in his arms.

 

\---

The sun rose on two men who were more confused than ever.

They moved silently around the bedroom, getting dressed, each lost in their own thoughts.

Crunch.

They both heard it at the same time.

Crunch.

It took a second, but again, both realized at the same time what they were hearing: boots.

A pair of boots slowly crunching around outside of the hut. A glimpse of gleaming silver armor hung past the window.

Hux and Kylo looked at each other, their eyes wide with terror.

Had they been discovered?  
Was this the end of their time, here?

"I'm not just going," Kylo whispered to Hux, pulling out his lightsaber and igniting it.

Hux slowly grabbed his blaster off the table, and aimed it towards the door.

"Agreed."

They waited for what seemed like an eternity, before the door slowly creaked open.

A tall figure, silver, with a black cape, walked in. It looked at the two weapons pointed at it warily, then slowly reached up and lifted the helmet from its head.

"General Hux? Lord Ren?"

Hux relaxed his arm, although Kylo's position did not change.

"Phasma! What are you doing here?"

Phasma came further into the room, shutting the door behind herself.

"Looking for YOU! Leader Snoke has sent ships all over the galaxy, looking for you!"

"Who else is here with you?", Kylo asked, tensely.

"I'm alone. Everybody else thought this planet would be pointless to check, but I wanted to be certain, so I sent them ahead. How did you end up here?"

Hux told her of their escape from Starkiller, the crash, and their subsequent efforts at survival.

Phasma smiled and shook her head.

"I knew you'd be alive. The both of you are smart, and resourceful."

She set up the Comm on her wrist to put in the call to Snoke.

"Wait until I tell Leader Snoke that --"

"NO!", both men shouted at the same time, startling her.

"No? What do you mean, no? What's wrong?"

Hux sighed. He put a hand on Kylo's arm, calming him, because he had sensed that Kylo was seconds away from striking the Captain down. "Sit," he said gently, gesturing to the chair. "We have something to tell you."

For the next half hour, they both spoke to her. They told her of their desire to remain where they were, to cut all ties with the First Order, to leave their former world of pain and blood and fighting behind.

As they spoke, Phasma's expression remained calm, unchanged and unemotional. It was difficult to tell what she was thinking, or feeling, at their words.

A loud crackle from her wrist made all three jump.

"Phasma? Report!"

Hux and Kylo both chilled, at the familiar sounding voice coming from her communicator.

They stared at her, and she stared back at them.

It felt like an eternity passed in those few bare seconds.

Hux was thinking of possible ways to run, Kylo was thinking of ways to fight. 

Suddenly, impossibly, Phasma _smiled_.

She sighed a little and shook her head, then she pressed the respond button on her communicator.

"Bad news, Sir. Found the ship, found the men. Two pilots, Lord Ren and General Hux. All dead. Heavy level of decomposition; tracks around ship suggests animal interference."

Hux nearly fainted with relief, and he had to lean against Kylo for support.

The curses coming from the Captains communicator were long, and loud. She had to hold the device back from her ear. At the end of it all, he instructed her to torch the ship, remove all traces of the First Order's presence there.

She agreed, then turned off the device. She took a deep breath, and told the two,

"I imagine this makes me a traitor, to the Order. But you two -- you look so, so **happy**. Who am I to end that for you?"

Kylo went to her and hugged her so hard he nearly sent her crashing to the ground. She was surprised at the unexpected contact, but she patted his back warmly.

"Here," she said, taking a large handful of credits from her pockets. "This should be enough to get you some food and clothes. I don't know if you've explored past this area, but there's a little town down below this mountain. Extremely primitive, sentient non-humans; but there were several marketing stands. You know, in reality, you both could just stay here. If for any reason the Order ever came back here, I can find you and warn you beforehand."

Now Hux came up to her and hugged her, as well.

She hugged him back, then quickly walked out, before she could change her mind. The two left the house and stood in the cold, watching as she hiked back down the hill towards the crashed ship, and set it on fire. Then she turned and waved one final time before getting into her own ship and taking off into the sky.

Kylo turned to Hux in the stillness and lifted him off his feet in a gigantic hug.

"We're free! We're FREE!"

Hux smiled and shook his head.

"Not 'free'; we're in hiding. We'll have to be careful and concealed every day for the rest of our lives, Ren. Whether we stay here, or we buy a ship and leave . . ."

Kylo interrupted him with a long, joyful kiss.

"So long as there's a 'we' in all that, I don't care."

Hux laughed, and kissed him back.

"Me either."

Kylo took Hux's hand and began pulling him back towards the path to the house.

"We can decide on a course of action tomorrow. Right now, I really want to get you out of those pants."

When Hux gave him a look, Kylo smirked and explained, "To alter them, of course. And who knows, I MIGHT take off my pants, too, just so you don't feel alone."

"That's very kind of you, Ren, but, as a warning, I've never experienced that kind of, um, 'altering' before. I've only ever had my pants tailored by females, if you catch my drift."

"Same. But if we're really going to be stuck together, I'd say nows a good time to try new things. But only if you're ready."

Hux clutched his hand tighter. "We'll see. For now, let's get home."

Kylo put his arm around his waist as they trudged through the snow, marveling to himself at the utter beauty of that word.

_**Home.** _


End file.
